Coin controlled vending machine



Nov. 21, 1939. R BAKER 2,181,039

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE 'Filed Aug. 18, 1958 2J4, 2L1:- J I ;/6 L I INVENTOR.

\ ,jiZ/er/ i. Dale,

M s ATTORNEYS).

Patented Nov. 21, 1939 ATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in article dispensing apparatus and preferably to coin controlled bottled beverage dispensing apparatus.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus, adapted to be coin controlled, whereby the purchaser may select the article or beverage he wishes to obtain and by the manipulation of the coin controlled mechanism so release the selected compartment as to permit access thereto.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully hereinafter in the accompanying specification and claims.

For the purpose of disclosing my invention, I have illustrated an embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a container embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a detail section of the releasing plunger blocking mechanism.

In the embodiment illustrated, the container may be of any suitable type, although my invention is particularly applicable to a container for bottled beverages wherein the usual cooling tank I is provided. This tank may be divided into suitable compartments and for the purpose of controlling access to each compartment, I provide a series of doors or hinged closures 2. These hinged closures are preferably hinged at one end 3, the opposite end being free to be lifted. On the underside of each of these hinged closures is provided a locking bolt l which is normally biased in looking position 5. It is to be noted that there are two series of doors, one on each side of the center bar 6 on which the inner endsof each of the lids or closures are adapted to rest. This bar is provided on each side with a down-turned flange I, which, when the bolts 4 are projected in locking position, is in the pathof all of the bolts so that none of the covers may be raised.

For selectively determining the lid or cover which the operator decides shall be unlocked, I provide a sliding selector 8 having a center bar 9 extending through a slot Iii in the member 6 and provided on its upper side with a handle II by which the slide 8 may be manipulated and which, at the same time, supports the slide on the center bar 6. This slide 8 carries, in a transversely extending channel I2 therein a pair of transversely slidable plungers I3 and I3a. Each of these plungers is provided with a downwardly extending operating pin l4 and I 40. Which operate respectively in channels I5 and I5a formed in a pair of longitudinally extending rails I6'and I611. which rails are transversely slidably supported at their ends in slots II formed in blocks supported at 5 each end of the cabinet. I

For operating the bolts I3 and I3a, the transversely movable rails I6 and Ilia are adapted to be spread or moved transversely, thereby carrying with them the two bolts I3 and I3a as the 10 result of the connection between the pins I4 and Ida and slots I5 and I5a in the rails. The rails It and I60. are adapted to be spread throughout their length through the medium of two sets of toggle links I3 and I8a respectively, having their 15 outer ends respectively pivotally connected as at It and I9a to the rails I1 and Ila. The inner ends of the links are connected to a pin 20 which projects in a slot 28 in a slide bar 2|. With the toggle links in their angular position relatively 20 to one another, the side rails I! and Na are in their retracted or closed position. If, however, the slide bar 2| is moved to straighten out the links I8, the two spreader bars I I and Ho will be separated, thereby moving the plungers I3;

and I3a outwardly and under predetermined conditions, into engagement with the selected looking bolt 4 moving the locking bolt out of lockin position. i

It is to be noted that on the center bar 6, there. 30

are a series of indicator marks 22 arranged in pairs, one pair for each two oppositely arranged cover members. These'pairs, as indicated, are in staggered relationship. The slide handle II is provided with an indicator 23. Beneath the center bar 6 is mounted a stop member which preferably consists of a U-shaped channel having the sides 24 and 25 downwardly directed. In the sides 24 and 25 there are formed slots 24a. and 25a immediately opposite one another, and one of these slots is adapted to coincide with a locking bolt 4 so that there is a slot formed in each of the sides coinciding with each of the locking bolts and opposite each of these slots, on the other side, is formed a corresponding slot. In order to select a cover to be released, the operator merely moves the slide handle II until the indicator mark 23 coincides with an indicator mark 22 for one of the locking bolts. When the parts have been positioned in this manner, 5 the slide bar 2| may then be moved longitudinally, thereby spreading the spreader rail I6 and through the pin connections I4 with these spreader rails, the bolts I3 and I3a are moved transversely away from one another. That bolt opposite a locking bolt will move the locking bolt out of engaging position while the other bolt will merely move through an opening on the other side without affecting any of the other locking bolts. The cover member thus released may be opened for access to the interior or the compartment.

Any suitable coin controlled mechanism, such as 26 may be provided for controlling the operation of the slide bar 2|, the slide bar 2! being adapted to be connected to and operated by the slide bar 21 of said coin controlled mechanism.

The operation of the device is obvious. The operator first moves the handle I i to coincide the indicator mark 23 with one of the decided indicator marks 22. When this has been accomplished, by the insertion of a coin in the coin controlled device 26 and the shoving in of the coin controlled slide handle 21, the operator moves the slide bar 25 in a direction as to project the slide bolts i3 and Ma into a slot 240 or 250. to release one of the locking bolts 4. It is to be observed that as long as the coin controlled slide handle is in its inner releasing position, due to the fact that the slide bolts project into the slots 24a and 25a, the slide bar 2| cannot be moved further in a releasing direction and can only be moved into a retracting position to release the members i 3 and to from their slots. Furthermore, the pin 20 is adapted to operate in an elongated slot 28 in the slide bar 2| so that there is a certain amount of lost motion between the slide bar and the operating toggles. As a result of this lost motion, the slide bar 2! must be retracted to its full retracted position before the transversely projecting bolts are returned to their inner position. By the time the slide bar 2| has thus been returned to its full returned position, the coin operating mechanism will have caught the same so that it cannot be again projected. It is, therefore, apparent that in order to again manipulate the device, the coin controlled device must be fed another coin.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a plurality of closures, of a plurality of latching bolts associated with said closures, one for each closure, a plunger movable relatively to. the latching bolts into a position to coincide with any selected bolt and a single operating member for moving said plunger to disengage the selected bolt.

2. The combination with a plurality of closures, of a plurality of latching bolts associated with said closures, one for each closure, a plunger movable relatively to the latching bolts and into a position to coincide with any selected bolt, a single operating member having a sliding connection with said bolt, and means for operating said operating member to project said plunger into a position to release a selected bolt.

3. The combination with a plurality of closure members, a plurality of bolts associated with said closure members, one for each bolt, a bolt releasing means movable relatively to said bolts to coincide with any selected bolt and a single operating member for operating said bolt releasing means in any releasing position to which it may be moved.

4. The combination with two sets of closure members, each comprising a plurality of closure members, the sets being arranged opposite one another, latching bolts for latching the closure members against opening, a pair of releasing plungers adapted to be moved into releasing position with respect to any of said bolts, means for moving said releasing members into releasing position and a common operating member for operating said means.

5. The combination with a plurality of oppositely disposed aligned closure members, a bolt for each of said closure members, a slide member and a pair of plungers carried by said slide member, said slide member being movable to position one of said plungers coincident with a selected bolt, a pair of spreader bars having sliding engagement with said plungers and means for spreading said bars to move said plungers into releasing position.

6. The combination with a plurality of closure members, of a plurality of latching bolts, one for each closure, an operating member associated with said bolts, a bolt releasing member slidable on said operating member to a position coincident with any one of said bolts and means for moving said operating member to cause said releasing members to release the bolt.

7. The combination with a plurality of oppositely disposed closure members, of a plurality of latching bolts associated with said members, one for each member, a pair of operating members, toggle links for spreading said operating members in parallelism, a pair of bolt releasing members having sliding engagement with said operating members and adapted to be slid in coincident relationship with a selected bolt, and means for manipulating said links to spread said operating members when the bolt releasing means have been positioned.

8. The combination with a plurality of closures, with a plurality of latching bolts, one for each closure, a plunger moving relatively to said bolt to position said plunger coincident with any of said bolts, a single operating member for moving said plunger to release a selected bolt after said plunger has been moved to coincide therewith, means for operating said operating member, and means for locking said plunger against movement after it has been moved to releasing position until said operating means has been restored to its initial position.

ROBERT E. BAKER. 

